"The Red Shoes" by Hans Christian Andersen Close Reading Questions

For many high school readers, fairy tales and fantasy fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. "The Red Shoes" by Hans Christian Andersen is about a peasant girl whose obsession with her footwear leads to supernatural events, seemingly divine punishment, and eventual redemption. With this rigorous worksheet composed of high-order questions, English Language Arts teachers will help students extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills. A detailed answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google Drive option is available.)

By completing this close reading activity, students will:

• Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Apply knowledge of various literary devices including dramatic irony, personification, symbolism, and more

• Make logical inferences about the author's intent

• Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others

• Make a claim about whether a detail is ironic

• Defend claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual details

• Explore potential themes

• Discern the function of a given paragraph

• Connect the text to societally relevant concepts in modern society, such as social mobility

• Conduct research to answer questions about autobiographical parallel

• Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision

This resource may facilitate small-group discussions about literature. Through these discussions, students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development, demonstrating an ability to analyze how complex characters transform and advance the plot and themes by applying logic and citing compelling, meaningful textual evidence. They will also evaluate their peers' reasoning and use of rhetoric to advance claims, clarifying or challenging unclear ideas. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.

A variety of resources for teaching fairy tales, tall tales, and fantasy are available:

• "The Call of Cthulhu" by H.P. Lovecraft - Google and printable

• "The Celebrated Jumping Frog" by Mark Twain - Google and printable

• "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benet - Google and printable

• The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien - Google and printable

• "The Juniper Tree" by the Brothers Grimm - Google and printable

• "The Wife’s Story" by Ursula K. Le Guin - Google and printable